DISINFO: US orchestrated unfair vote in Macedonian parliament on name change
SUMMARY
The US orchestrated an “unfair vote” in the Macedonian parliament which approved the country’s name change, despite a failed popular referendum. “The eight votes that the parliament lacked for securing the qualifying majority were received via blackmail, threats and bribes given to the opposition lawmakers… Notably, the US Ambassador [to Macedonia] was in the parliament building up to the end of the session, and this is why there is no doubt that he orchestrated the process”.
RESPONSE
No evidence given of any US secret operation to orchestrate the vote. The United States has openly and publicly welcomed the "decision by Macedonia’s Parliament to initiate the constitutional changes needed to implement the Prespa Agreement with Greece". [Press statement - https://www.state.gov/r/pa/prs/ps/2018/10/286799.htm] It has stated it “strongly supports the agreement’s full implementation”. https://www.state.gov/r/pa/prs/ps/2018/09/286334.htm RT also writes that the "Macedonian parliament greenlighted the name change", which is not the case. The voting on Friday was only the first phase of the procedure to make the necessary amendments to the constitution that will lead to the implementation of the agreement on name issue with Greece. Balkan Insight meanwhile reported that the eight MPs from the opposition bloc who voted in favour were in fact targeted immediately after the vote by hate speech and threats on social networks and in some pro-opposition media. They are now assigned police protection, the FYROM interior minister Oliver Spasovski said. He also said that the police have identified a “group” close to the informal movement which campaigned for a boycott of the ‘name’ referendum which he said has been threatening the lives of MPs and their families.